Dylan, Time To Meet The World
by Sky-blues64
Summary: Dylan is a 7th grader who was adopted by the Harts at the age of 5. She and her older sister Maya are treated like family with the Matthews, but Dylan knows she'll never be apart of it. Just like Maya, she doesn't have much hope in life or herself. Follow Dylan through the ups and downs of 7th grade. Will life lessons be learned?
1. Girl Meets World

"Why do we have to sneak out of the house if we're not doing anything _wrong_ until we sneak onto the subway?" My best friend, Riley asked my older sister, Maya, and I for like the 10th time so far.

"You think you're ready to just walk by your parents?" Maya asked. "I think I'm ready." Riley reassured. I gave her an amused look. "Let us see your face as you walk by your parents." I instructed. Riley gave Maya and I, a scared expression. "Why are you making that face at us, Riley?" Maya asked, imitating Riley's parents. "Because I'm sneaking onto the subway." Riley said. I gave her one of my signature looks.

"Out the window." Riley said, pointing out of the window. I nodded. " Let's go." Maya and I said in sync. The three of us crawled out of Riley's bedroom window. A few moments after, we crawled back in. The three of us walked to Riley's bed and sat on the edge, as Mr. Cory Matthews, Riley's father, crawled in and walked over to give us some sort of lecture.

"Here's what I'm thinking." He said, beginning his lecture, "It's not _your_ world yet. It's still _my_ world. Because if it was _your_ world, Maya and Dylan would have you on the subway already, thinking you put something over on me. But you didn't. Know how I know? Look at ya. You're right here."

"How long do I have to live in my _father's_ world?" Riley asked. I chuckled. "Until you make it yours," Mr. Matthews told his daughter, while putting a hand on her shoulder. "Riley, do you know what I want more than anything? Go ahead, make it yours." Mr. Matthews told her.

"I will. And when I do will you still be there for me?" Riley asked. "Right here." A voice said. We all turned to see Riley's mom, Mrs. Topanga Matthews, leaning against the door frame. She walked over to Cory and linked arms with him. "We'll be right here." She reassured. Riley, Maya, and I gave each other a look. We all linked arms and skipped out of the door.

The three of us arrived at the subway and were greeted by the familiar subway vibes. The dead rat smells, people's footsteps as they come and go. I just love the subway! We were all greeted by a new sound. The three of us turned to a familiar person that Maya and I knew. He was drumming. Maya and I stepped forward and began to dance. The drumming stopped.

"Weasel!" Maya and I exclaimed. "Dylan! Maya!" Weasel greeted us, and then took noticed of Riley, "Who's the new chick?" "Chick! Down here I'm a chick." Riley said, leaning closer to Maya and I. "No wonder my parents don't want me on the subway." She whispered. We began walking to the subway train, as two girls walked pass us.

"You're slouching, Maya." A girl who I didn't know told Maya. "Thanks, Gretchen." Maya said. Maya stood straight, put her hands on her hips and started walked to the train with such good posture. Riley and I shared a look. I shrugged. Riley mimicked Maya and followed her to the train. I rolled my eyes and followed Riley and Maya normally.

I looked around the subway at all the other passengers. I glanced at Riley and saw something very peculiar. "Whoa, Riley." I said. Maya took notice of Riley and her eyes slightly widened in amusement. "You don't do lip gloss." Maya told her. I nodded.

"Oh, what I forgot to mention is that I'm completely reinventing myself. I ride the subway now, I have kiwi lips now and I'm just as cool as you two now." Riley said. I chuckled. "Yeah? Let's see how cool you can be when you look at _him_." Maya said, gesturing with her head, towards someone behind Riley. Riley and I followed Maya's gesture and saw a blond haired kid, about our age, reading a textbook. He looked up and smiled at us. Riley turned back to us with a big grin on her face.

I giggled. "Yeah, you're gonna need some lessons." I told her. "Okay, let me show you everything you need to know about boys and girls." Maya said, and walked over to the boy. Riley and I watched her.

"Hi, I'm Maya. You're really cute. We should hang out sometime," Maya said, sitting down next to the boy. "You make me happy. You don't pay enough attention to me. This isn't working out," Maya said, standing up. "It's you, not me. We can still be friends. Not really." Maya said, walking back to us without letting the boy say a word.

"He's available. We just broke up." Maya said. I giggled. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Do we need to talk about it?" Riley added. "You still want to be like me and Dylan?" Maya asked. "I want to be exactly like you two. I think too much and you guys don't think at all." Riley said. "See, you get us! So let's not think!" I cheered. I grabbed Riley's hand and pushed her off of the pole we were holding onto. Riley screamed. She landed on the kid's lap. I giggled and turned to my big sis.

"Hey, Maya?" I asked. "Yeah, Dyl?" Maya asked me. "Do you think mom will help us with tonight's homework?" I asked. Maya looked down sadly, and then looked back at me with sympathy in her eyes. She shook her head no. I looked back down at my black combat boots, and then back up when I heard Riley approach.

"That was great." Riley said in a dreamy voice. I put on a fake smile and made eye contact with my friend. "You're welcome." I told her. An expression of worriness and fear crossed Riley's face. "What if that was the best moment of my life? What if nothing ever happens for me again?" She asked. Maya and I shared a knowing look. We looked back at Riley with a smirk plastered on our faces. We both grabbed Riley's hand and pushed her off. She was sent tumbling back. She screamed and landed on a lady's lap. "It's for you." The lady said, picking Riley up and placing her on the kid's lap.

I slammed my locker closed when I had received my history textbooks. Riley and Maya mimicked me. "Did you have trouble with the homework?" Riley asked. I shrugged. "Piece of cake." Maya lied. "You didn't do it, did you?" Riley asked. "I don't even know where my books are." Maya admitted. "They're here and they're heavy." Riley said, taking out Maya's textbooks from her bag. The bell ringed. We all walked into our classroom, and walked over to our desks which were next to each other and at the front.

"You have to do the homework, Maya. This teacher's insane, a total nut job. I think there's something seriously wrong with him." Riley said. "Hi, honey." Mr. Matthews said, standing in front of Riley. "Hi, daddy." Riley greeted her father.

"You're late to your father's class." Mr. Matthews informed her. "Oh, don't worry, Mr. Matthews." Maya said. I smirked. "Yeah. You wrote her a note." I said, taking a piece of paper out of my back pocket. "I did?" Matthews and Riley asked as I did so. "He did." Maya and I answered in unison. "You did." Riley said, as I handed Matthews the note.

"Riley is late. Deal with it." He read from the note. He looked up at Maya and me. "Well, you two got my signature down pretty good this time." He complimented. "Oh, it was easy. You write like a girl." Maya said, taking her seat next to me. "Yeah, you do. I didn't think it was possible, but. You proved me wrong," I told him, taking my seat, which was in between Riley and Maya.

"Okay, let me get back to jamming some learning into your heads." Mr. Matthews said, beginning the class, "The civil war." "The civil bore." Maya said. "Thank you, future mini mart employee of the month." Mr. Matthews said. "Would she be making more money than you?" I asked. Mr. Matthews hesitated before continuing.

"The civil war! Anybody?" He said to us. "A war we fought against ourselves." Riley answered. I raised my eyebrows. "What, you actually studied it?" Mr. Matthews asked. "No, I'm actually living it." Riley said. She bumped her head on her desk as Matthews continued.

"People, people, are we here to learn or not?" Farkle, one of Riley, Maya, and mines closest friends. "What do you mean, Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asked. I turned to Farkle. Who was sitting behind Maya. "I've been in love with Riley since the first grade. But I'm also equally in love with Maya. _And_ Dylan. Some might say the great mystery of the universe is who's gonna be the first Mrs. Farkle." Farkle said. Maya turned around and faced Farkle.

"You don't want this." Maya warned him. "Bring it on." Farkle said. We all looked forward again. "I always thought he'd wind up with back-of-the-class Brenda." Riley told us. We all turned around to Brenda. Who sorta resembled a female Farkle. I shuddered. "Ew, yuck!" Farkle exclaimed as we turned back in our seats.

"Actually, the great mystery of the universe is how you could love three women the same who couldn't possibly be more different." Mr. Matthews told Farkle. "We're not so different." Riley protested. "May I overstep my bounds, sir?" Farkle asked, raising his hand. "You always do." Mr. Matthews said. Farkle and him switched spots. Farkle flipped Cory's name plate so it showed his name.

Farkle slammed his hands on Riley's desk. "Riley is the sun, warm and bright and lights up my whole day." Farkle said, and then ran to Maya's desk. He slammed his hands on her desk. "Maya is the night, dark and mysterious. And the night has always been a mystery to me. Because I go to bed at 7:30." Farkle tols us. He ran over to my desk and slammed his hands on it. "Dylan is the sunrise. Mysterious, beautiful, and a true piece of beauty. Who is a complete mystery yet, an open book." Farkle said. He backed up.

"How could I love these three different women? How could I not? Thank you! I am Farkle!" He exclaimed, and walked back to his desk. Mr. Matthews walked back to his. He flipped his name tag around. "So we were indeed trying to find out who we were as a people. Who am I? What should I be? History shows that bad things happen when you don't know who you are." Matthews explained. The back door opened. The whole class turned to the door, to see the kid from the subway enter.

"Who are you? I don't know who you are." Matthews told the young boy as he walked over to our teacher. "Subway boy." Riley whispered to Maya and I. I smiled.

"I'm Lucas Friar from Austin, Texas." The boy introduced. "Oh, new student, Mr.

Friar?" Matthews asked. "Yes sir." Lucas answered. "Great, you're just in time for today's assignment. Have a seat." Matthews told him. Lucas nodded and walked over to the seat behind Riley. I noticed Riley was watching Lucas with her full attention.

"Okay, so we-" Mr. Matthews started, but stopped when he noticed his daughter wasn't paying attention. He turned her head around. "So I'd like you guys to open your books to page 48." Mr. Matthews instructed. I opened up my textbook and turned to page 48 with the rest if the class. "Now I'd like you to turn to page one." Matthews told us. I turned to page one like the rest of the class. "Now I'd like you to read from page one to 48." Matthews instructed. The entire class, including me, groaned. "Oh, too bad on you." Matthews told us. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, so for tonight's assignment, I'd like you to write me a three-page essay on anything. Anything at all that you guys believe in so strongly you'd fight for it." Matthews explained.

"That! I'd fight for no homework! I come here every day. Why can't you teach me everything I need to know while I'm here?" Maya exclaimed. "Whoo!" Riley said, pumping her fist. She earned a glare from her father. "Not Whoo." Riley said. I rolled my eyes again. "He gets our days. Let's take back our nights." Riley said standing up. "No homework, more freedom. Who's with me?" Maya asked. The entire class began chanting "No homework, more freedom" over and over again. Maya leaned down closer to me and Riles. "This is it, kid. You want to be like me? Stand up," Maya told Riles before chanting again.

I smiled and stood up. I was obviously going to back my sister up. "No homework, more freedom." I chanted with the rest of the class. Riley eventually joined us. We all continued chanting, as we stormed out of the classroom.

I sat in my bedroom on my bed as I looked at my desk. My homework from history class sat on it. I continued to stare at it, as my door opened. I turned my attention to the door. In entered Maya. She was in her pajamas. Just like I was. "Hey, Dyl. What'cha doing?" Maya asked me. I shrugged.

"Nothing much." I answered, "Oh. Is mom home yet?" Maya shook her head no. I could see sadness in her eyes. I reached out for her hand and grasped it. I squeezed it tightly but gently. I could see Maya's eyes get cloudy with tears. But, Maya, being Maya didn't let them fall. She just shook her head and did the emotionless soldier act. "I should probably go to bed. School night," Maya said, standing up and walking to the door.

"Maya, wait!" I shouted before she stepped out of the door. She turned to me, and I could see the tears were going to fall any minute. "Love you sis," I told her. "I love you too, sis," Maya said and walked out of the door. I sighed. I stood up and walked over to my desk. I knew exactly what I was going to do for my essay. I know I'm part of the homework rebellion but. I got to get my feelings out somehow.

 _Dylan Hart_

 _June 3rd 2015_

 _What To Fight For?_

 _What I believe is worth fighting for. What I would put everything on the line for. Is my relationship with my older sister. I know that I would not make it through a day without her. A day without her is like a year without smiling. Or laughing. We all need a light to male it through this crazy maze we call life. Maya is my light. That shines bright and high above everything else..._

I sat at my usual spot with Maya and Riley the next day at school. I was playing with my ham sandwich. I didn't really feel like eating right now. I had finished my 3 page essay for Mr. Matthews class. I think it turned out well. And all of it is true.

As I was fiddling with my food, I didn't notice Riley and Maya talking about the new kid. That was until Maya nudged me. I looked up from my food and looked to where my sister was gesturing to.

"Aww, look at him looking for a place to fit in." Maya said. I gently smiled. "Do you think he'll sit with us?" Riley asked. I shrugged. Maya scotched over a seat so there was a empty seat in between her and Riley. As Lucas approached to take the seat, Farkle snatched it before he had a chance to sit down.

"Ladies." Farkle greeted. "Farkle!" Riley, Maya, and I all greeted. "Interesting lunch-line dilemma: Sloppy Joe or Chicken Pot Pie or a Ham Sandwich? Or Sloppy Joe? Or Chicken Pot Pie? Or a Ham Sandwich?" Farkle asked. "Is that all you got?" Maya asked. Farkle nodded. "That's it. Same time tomorrow." Farkle said, standing up and walking off to who knows where.

I noticed Lucas still looking around for somewhere to sit. I reached across from Maya and pushed Riley into the seat next to Maya.

"There he is. Invite him to sit down." I told her. "What do I say?" Riley asked. "Hey, Lucas, looking for somebody special?" Maya suggested. "I can't say that." Riley said. "Hey, Lucas, looking for somebody?" I suggested. "Too forward." Riley said. "Hey, Lucas." Maya suggested. "Like we're on a first-name basis?" Riley asked. "Hey." I suggested. "Hey." Riley repeated. "Hey, I'm back." Lucas said, sitting on the seat next to Riley.

Riley looked up at him with a weird terrified expression on her face. "Hi. You're sitting here." Riley said. I mentally face-palmed. "Is that okay?" Lucas asked. "Can you excuse me for just one sec?" Riley asked. She turned around to face me and Maya. The three of us squealed for three seconds and then went back to our lunches.

"How ya doing?" I heard a voice ask. I turned around to see the one and only Cory Matthews. I rolled my eyes, un-amused by this.

"Dad, you have a choice here. You can either understand that this is just a boy talking to me in the cafeteria," Riley began. "I'm gonna do whatever you say next." Cory told her, cutting his own daughter off. "But this is so innocent." Riley defended. "Honey, fathers don't see anything as innocent. We see it as. What's the opposite of innocent?" Cory asked. I pointed at Maya as she pointed at herself. "Right here!" We both shouted at the same time. Cory gave us a small wave.

"Please don't embarrass me." Riley pleaded. "I'm just going to talk to Mr.

Friar about geography." Mr. Matthews told us. He turned to Lucas. "You know, I've been to a lot of places. Never been to Texas though. What part of Texas is closest to Mexico?" He asked the poor boy. "That'd be El Paso, sir." Lucas answered. "Great. Let's go right now." Mr. Matthews said. He took Lucas chair and pulled him and the chair away. Lucas gave us a small wave. I rolled my eyes, and stood up along with my friends to put our lunch trays away.

"So did you do the homework?" Riley asked Maya. "No, I didn't do the homework. The question on everybody's kiwi lips is did you do the homework?" Maya asked. "No. I'm one of the founding members of the homework rebellion. You think I did my homework?" Riley defended. I gave her my look. "I think you did hers too. And probably mines," I told her.

"I did, I did and I really liked it." Riley said, happily. "Riley, don't save me." Maya said. Riley gave my older sister a confused look. "What?" Riley mumbled. "Let me be me." Maya said.

As Maya said that, Farkle walked over to us with three different cakes on his tray. "Oh, you got three desserts?" Riley asked, "Angel's food cake." "Red Velvet food cake," I said. "And Devil's food cake. Let me guess who's who." Maya said. "Hey, Farkle's just hungry. Not everything is about you." Farkle defended walked off with his cake.

"Well. Someone's got a sweet tooth." I said, earning a few giggles.

I took out my textbooks for history and turned to the page of the book we were at. As I was doing that, I heard a rapid sound of footsteps making a dash somewhere. I turned around in my seat and saw Mr. Matthews glaring at Lucas.

"Hi. Apparently you have a better sense of direction than I anticipated. You are a really good-looking guy." Mr. Matthews commented on and walked back to the front of the classroom.

"Okay, so today we're gonna find out. If anybody here believes in something so strongly they'd fight for it." Mr. Matthews said, walking over to Maya's desk, "Maya." "Yes sir." Maya replied. "Present your homework." "Can't do that, sir." "Why not?" "That's what I'm fighting against, sir." "Oh, this could go on for a while." Farkle said, breaking the conversation. He put his feet on his desk and put on a blue night thingy you put over your eyes. "Farkle Farkle Farkle Farkle." Farkle said, snoring.

"Dylan. Homework. Present. Now," Cory told me. "Sorry, Matthews. Even if I did do my homework, it is my own personal piece of writing. Can't present," I told him. He glared at me and turned to Riley.

"I didn't do my homework either." Riley told him. "Oh really?" Matthews asked. "Yeah. We're all the same now. I don't believe in homework." Riley replied. "Guess what, Riley? That doesn't make you the same as Maya _or_ Dylan at all." Matthews informed her.

"I have something to say." Maya said, raising her hand. "Wow, I don't know what to do. I've never seen this before. The floor is yours, Ms. Hart." Mr. Matthews said, offering Maya the floor. Maya stood up and turned to Farkle.

"Get up, Farkle. You're gonna want to be awake for this." Maya told the boy. "Is it our honeymoon?" Farkle asked hopefully, standing up. I gave him a look. "No, you missed that. Now it's time to hand in our essays." Maya told him. "Oh, Farkle goes first! Farkle always goes first!" Farke shouted. He ran out of the classroom to his locker, I believe.

Maya stepped up to the front of the room. "All right, everybody who did their homework, put it on your desks." Maya instructed. "Careful there, Ms. Hart." Matthews warned her. I took my essay out of my bag and placed it on my desk. "Are you sure about this?" Riley asked my sister as Maya passed by. "I got this." Maya reassured and continued to collect the homework from the students.

I heard the backdoor open, so I turned around in my seat and saw Farkle walk in with a big diorama in his hands. "The burning of Atlanta led to the end of the civil war and to peace. I believe that peace is worth fighting for." Farkle said.

Maya walked up to Farkle with all the essays in her hands. She snatched one of the sparklers from Farkle's display. "Hey, that's a pivotal part of my diorama!" Farkle shouted. Maya snatched another sparkler from the project. "And there goes Virginia." Farkle mumbled.

Maya walked back to her desk and stood up on her chair. She held the sparklers and the essays in separate hands, with a little distance apart from each other. "The burning of the homework led to the end of the homework rebellion because there was no more homework." Maya said. She began to bring the sparklers down to the homework. I let out a little gasp. "All right, all right, that's far enough, Maya! I get it!" Cory shouted, running over to Maya and snatching the homework from Maya.

Maya held the sparklers up high. "No homework, more freedom!" Maya shouted. Just as she shouted, the sparklers' fire hit the fire sprinklers and ice cold water spurt down. The whole class begun to scream as an alarm began to ring. "Okay, so those work." Maya pointed up. Everyone began to flee from the classroom. The only people left in the room were Farkle, Maya, Riley, Lucas, Mr. Matthews, and me. We were getting soaked.

"Is this still part of your presentation or is this actually going on?" Farkle asked. Out of the corner of my eye , I saw Lucas put his jacket over him and Riley. I didn't hear there conversation though. I just stood there getting wet. Farkle made a dash for Mr. Matthews and begun ti climb on him.

"Ms. Hart, you have detention. The principal will determine if it goes further than that." Mr. Matthews told Maya. He turned to Riley and I. "Ms. Matthews, please leave. Ms. Hart. You stay as well," Cory told us. "I deserve detention too!" Riley protested. "No, you don't. You didn't do anything. And because you didn't do anything, both of your best friends are in very deep trouble." Mr. Matthews told her. I glared at him. Why was I getting detention?

Riley stormed out of the classroom. "All right, Farkle, you can get down now." Cory told the young boy. "Well, you're actually quite comfortable, sir." Farkle commented. "Thank you, Farkle. Get off!" Mr. Matthews shouted. "Farkle isn't going anywhere!" Farkle shouted.

I slammed my locker closed along with Riley and Maya. We were trying to clean ourselves up as best as we could. Which was hard. Mr. Matthews then ran into the deserted hallways. Farkle was still on his shoulders. He gave us a hard look. "Down, Farkle." He ordered. Farkle climbed down from the man. Mr. Matthews began to stare at us hardly.

"You're looking at us pretty hard there, Mr. Matthews." I told him. "I just want to stand by my girls. Even though one of them did nothing," Riley said. Maya, Riley, and I looked at each other.

"You missed the moment to stand by your girls. You were so busy trying to be them, Riley, you forgot the best thing you can do for them is be you." Mr. Matthews told Riley. I looked down. "Riley, take Farkle for a walk." Cory ordered his daughter. Riley and Farkle walked out. Maya and me stepped forward.

"Listen, for as long as I can remember, it's always been Riley, Maya, and Dylan. Now I always believed friends helps another friend out of trouble, not into it." Mr. Matthews told us. But mostly Maya.

"I'm sorry." Maya said, barely above a whisper. "Me too," I mumbled. "I am too. Because both of you go too far. Do you understand me?" Cory said. Maya nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand," Maya said, before walking out. Matthews turned to me.

"You. You're supposed to be the peacekeeper between them. To keep the other one under control. A friend isn't supposed to let a friend, go way too far, that it's unforgivable. Do you understand me?" Mr. Matthews told me. I nodded, and started to walk to the exit. But I stopped and turned around to face Mr. Matthews.

"You wanna know why Maya did what she did? She and I have nobody at home who helps us with our homework. She did this to forget about the pain of having to deal with it." With that, I walked out of the building and caught up with Maya and Riley outside. We walked to the subway.

I sat in a seat next to some lady. I think it was the lady who ruined Riley and Lucas' moment in the subway the other day. Maya and Riley were standing at a pole. I was playing with my still damp hair.

"Riles?" I heard Maya ask. I looked up at my two friends. "Yeah?" Riley asked. "If Dylan, you, and me can't hang out with each other as much anymore, don't worry about it." Maya told her. Riley looked at me. I nodded.

"Wait. Why wouldn't we-" Riley started. "He's going to make you end the friendship." I said, cutting her off. Riley's face fell. "He said that?" Riley asked. "He's really upset with us," Maya said. "He loves you two." Riley protested. I shook my head. "I don't think so anymore." I said, gloomily. "I just want you to know that I get it wouldn't be your fault." Maya said. I nodded.

The lady next to me laughed. I turned to her. "Beyootiful! You three little bumblebees got a sweet thing going. But where's your hunk?" The lady said, earning a look from me, "You ain't got no hunk, you ain't got no story!"

I turned back to Riley. "May and I haven't been your good friends." I said. "You guys _are_ my best friends," Riley said.

"She's your best friend! Best friends are important. I got a best friend. I'm not talking to her right now." The lady said. I rolled my eyes. "We go too far." Maya said. "And I don't think that's gonna stop." I told her. "We're bad for you." Maya and I said in unison.

"Did he say that?" Riley asked. "He will." Maya said. The train stopped. I stood up. "This is your stop." I said, walking over to the two. "Don't be us." I said, taking her hand off the pole. "You don't go as far as us." Maya said. "No. No." Riley protested as Maya and I pushed her off of the train. The doors began to close. Maya and I walked back to our spots. Well. I took Riley's former spot.

"No! Do not push her off this train! You do not push your best friend off the train." The lady said. A few moments have passed. "That little girl pushed those doors open with the power of love!" The lady shouted. Maya and I whipped around and saw Riley walking over to us.

"You two are not allowed to abandon our friendship! I would never do that." Riley told us. "Riley, we're pushing you away because," I started. "Because we're not good for you anymore." Maya finished.

"Only I decide that! You know why?!" Riley shouted. "Why?" Maya and I asked. "Because if this is my world now, the first people I want in it is you two." Riley told us. I gently smiled. "You're gonna save us, aren't you?" Maya asked. "I am." Riley said. She grabbed Maya and mine's hands and we ran off to Riley's house.

"Where is he?!" Riley exclaimed, as we entered the Matthews's residence. Topanga and Auggie, Riley's little brother, pointed to Cory who was sitting across from them at the table. We walked up to him.

"There is no way I'm gonna let you break-up my friendship with Maya and Dylan!" Riley shouted. "Is that what you think I want, Riley?" Cory asked. "No. What you said you really want is for me to make the world my own. And you want me to do my homework. Well, I'm doing it right now. Here's what I think is worth fighting for," Riley said. She put her arms around me and Maya since she was in the middle.

"These are my best friends. Their gonna get me into trouble and I'm gonna get us out of it. And I did. Because here we are. Look at us, dad. We're right here. My civil war is over, dad. I won." Riley said. I smiled. There was a moment of silence.

"What happens now?" I asked.

I stood in the subway station with the Matthews, Maya, Lucas and Farkle. We were here for a reason unknown to me.

"Friends, family and all you other subterranean mole people. We're here today to celebrate Riley being Riley. Now some may call this a New York City subway pass. But you, Riley, can consider this a ticket to the world." Cory announced, holding up a subway pass. "You think I'm ready?" Riley asked, hopefully. "You showed us you are. Riley, I've already met the world. It's your turn." Cory told her.

Maya, Riley, and I walked farther away from the others. "So where do you wanna go?" Maya asked. "Don't know. Big world." Riley said. "Ours now?" I asked. "Yeah, but my dad did say I have to be home by 5:00." Riley told us. "Don't worry, he wrote you a note." Maya said, holding up a note. I giggled as we walked into the train.


	2. Girl Meets Boy

I was staring at Riley, along with Maya. We heard the bell ring. Which hurt my ears. When the bell stopped, the only sound I heard was the clicking noise of Riley's phone.

"Talk to him." Maya ordered. I nodded. "Why? We have a great text relationship." Riley replied. "You know what's a better text relationship?" I asked. "What?" Riley asked. "Talk to him." I ordered. I heard a phone swooshing sound, coming from Riley's smart phone.

I glanced over at a bench close by and saw Lucas sitting there. Maya must have noticed too. "He's right over there." Maya pointed out. I nodded.

"No! Too complicated over there. Lots can go wrong over there. The only thing that can go wrong over here is if I go over there." Riley said. I held my hands out. Riley handed me her textbooks that she was holding and walked over to Lucas. She stood behind the bench and began to mouth stuff. I looked down and shook my head. I looked back up, and saw Riley sniffing Lucas. Maya then motioned her to come back.

Riley walked over to us, with her head held down. "How'd I do?" She asked. "You smelled him." Maya said. "Yup." Riley said, nodding her head. "You smelled him is what you did." I told her, handing her her books. "I walk through life the way I walk through life." Riley told us.

"Can we please talk about this?" Maya asked. I nodded. A few clicks and some whooshes filled my ears. Riley walked into the History Classroom. Mines and Maya's cellphones chiming filled my ears next. Maya and I took out our flip phones, and flipped it open. Maya and I let out a sigh. We looked at each other. "Nope." We said in unison. We both walked into the classroom.

"You guys don't connect with each other. It's like you can't exist without these," Cory said, holding up a cellphone, "You use emoticons rather than emotions. You're an unfeeling generation of zombies." Maya, Riley, and I leaned in closer to each other and we started to mimic some zombies. "Stop eating the other two," Mr. Matthews ordered. I pulled back and giggled.

The front door of the classroom opened, and one of our fellow students walked in. "You're late, miss Myzell." Cory told the student. "My goldfish died." Myzell told Cory. "You see? This is what I'm talking about. Miss Myzell has clearly suffered a tragic loss. Yet she does not seem in touch with her actual emotions." Cory said, draping an arm around her shoulders.

"'Scuze me? I am crying my eyes out. I'm gonna have to leave class early." Myzell said. She re-opened the door and walked out. "Oh, she actually made it out the door this time." Cory said, opening the door. To reveal Myzell there. "I actually made it out the door this time!" Myzell said. She walked in and went to her seat.

"Dad, adjust and deal." Riley said, "Cellphones have been around for, like, ever." "It'll amaze you to know that there was a whole world before you and cellphones." Cory said. I fake gasp. "No. That is unbelievable," I said, mockingly. Cory gave me a look.

"And it'll amaze you to know that I have 394 friends in here." Riley said, holding up her phone and gesturing to it. "And I'm amazed that you believe that." Cory said, walking up to the chalk board. He drew a not so straight line.

"This is a timeline of all human existence. Starting here is everyone who ever lived, laughed, loved, and understood the value of life." Cory said. He then drew a vertical line at the end of the horizontal line. "The cellphone era, which begins right around here pretty much destroys all of that. Way to go, you." Cory told us.

"Sir, if I may take a different position?" Lucas asked. "Yeah, save me, Mr. Friar. Do I go too far?" Cory asked. I stared at Cory. "Are ya kidding me?" I asked. "Always, sir." Lucas replied.

"I understand your point, but I use my phone to video chat my old friends and to find out what's going on in Texas." Lucas said. A tiny smirk appeared on my face. "Yeah. How else can he keep tabs on all the hoedowns?" Maya asked. "And don't forget about the cattle pageants," I reminded. Maya giggled.

"Maya! Dylan!" Riley hissed at us." It's okay, Riley. I'm unaffected by Maya's and Dylan's views of country life. As my Uncle Buster always says, "be like an eagle and soar above the mockingbirds." Lucas said. My eyes narrowed on my desk. "You two are the mockingbirds." Riley told us. "We know." Maya and I said in unison.

We both turned to Lucas. Who was now sitting behind Maya. "It kills us that we can't get to you." We said in unison. "First of all. Creepy. And second of all. Sorry, madams." Lucas said, tipping an imaginary hat at us. Maya and I turned back to the front of the room in anger. "Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo." We said in unison.

"Farkle time, sir?" Farkle asked, raising his hand. "Oh, I love Farkle time." Cory commented. Farkle walked to the chalk board.

"With all due respect to history, Mr. Matthews, what's important to our generation will be on this side of the timeline, when Farkle and technology rule." Farkle said. I tapped my fingers on my desk as Farkle walked over to Riley.

"And I will easily be able to make another one of you," Farkle said, pulling out a tiny strand of Riley's brown hair. "Ow." Riley said. "And another one of you." Farkle said, pulling out a piece of Maya's blonde hair. "Ow." Maya said. "And. Another one of you," Farkle said, pulling out a piece of my light brown hair. "Ow," I said.

"Wait, so now there's six of us and one of you?" Riley asked. "That's awesome." Farkle said. "No it's not," I pointed out. "The future you can't escape it. I am Farkle!" Farkle shouted, ignoring my comment and walking over to his desk in triumph.

"The assignment you can't escape it. I am teacher!" Mr. Matthews shouted, mimicking Farkle. The whole class was silent. "Please don't, Matthews," I begged.

"Okay, so here's what we're going to do, guys. We're going to split into teams and discover whether or not new technology has made us better people. You'll do presentations on your findings." Matthews said. I wasn't paying attention until he said: "And here's a twist no computers." My eyes widened. "What?!" I exclaimed. "We're going old school. You're going to do your research at the New York public library." Cory told us. "Where?!" Maya exclaimed.

"And here's another twist because I trust you not at all give me your cellphones." Matthews said. "No!" Riley shouted. "Yeah." Mr. Matthews said, handing a student named Sarah a box to put all of the phone in. We all put our phones in it. When it got to me, I handed my phone in and then handed it to Cory.

"Okay, so our teams for this assignment. Maya," Cory started. Maya opened her arms out wide and Farkle jumped into them. "What up!" Farkle shouted. Maya pushed him off. "Dylan. You join with Maya and Farkle. Just so Maya doesn't kill him. Cuz' I don't need more paperwork," Cory told me. I nodded.

"And Riley, you will be with," Matthews started. He glanced at Lucas and a panicked look was suddenly on his face. "No! No." Cory panicked. The bell then started to ring. On cue. We all stood up and walked over to the door.

"No!" Cory said. He dashed for the door and stopped in front Lucas. "Why did you have to come here?" Cory asked him. "Sorry I make you uneasy, sir." Lucas said, and walked out. "Oh, dad, we don't even have our phones. I mean, what could possibly happen?" Riley said, as she Maya, and I walked out of the room.

We were standing outside of the classroom in the hallways waiting for Lucas to come our way. And he did. "Hey, soaring eagle, you walkin' with us to the library tonight?" I asked. "Sure, if that's good with you guys." Lucas answered. "Well, seeing as how you're Riley's partner on this assignment, I guess we should find out if it's okay with her. Riley?" Maya said. We all turned to Riley who stood there frozen.

"Riley, any thoughts on this that might come out of your mouth in word form?" I asked. "No, because you don't have your phone anymore, so what are you going to do to communicate? I wonder." Maya said. Riley held up two thumbs up and did a smiley face. "Oh, look at that. Two thumbs up from Riley." Maya said. "And a smiley face." I added.

I went home with Riley, since Maya had to go home and get some stuff. I sat at the Matthews' table as Auggie talked about his day.

"It was a good day. And then my friends treated me nicely. And then my teacher measured us and then I'm growing. And then Jenny Lewis loves me. I think because I'm growing." Auggie said. "Auggie. Who wouldn't love someone as adorable as you?" I asked, pinching Auggie's cheeks. He giggled.

"It wasn't a good day." Riley said, taking her turn for sharing about her day. "And then my friends pulled my hair out." Riley said glancing at me, "And then my teacher took my phone away and then my teacher was also my father." "At least you're growing." Auggie said, trying to boost her spirits.

"Honey, please don't come apart. Look at this as a beautiful opportunity to spend time with your family." Topanga told her. "And friends" I added. "Hello, Riley." Auggie greeted. "How you doin'?" Riley asked. "Want to hear about my day? It was a good day." Auggie said, not letting Riley answer. "Mom!" Riley shouted, cutting her brother off.

"Forgive her, Auggie. She misses her telephone." Topanga told her son. "Yeah. Auggie. Let me tell you something. Some girls, like Riley, are nothing with out their phones," I told the young boy. He nodded.

"Well, then she can have mine." Auggie said, holding up a toy phone. The toy phone began to beep. "The cow goes "Moo!" Auggie said. A small smile appeared on my face.

"I'm not gonna make it." Riley admitted. "That's what your _father_ thinks." I pointed out. "She can't." Cory said. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Honey, please don't make your father right. It's no good for any of us when your father is right." Topanga said. I nodded. "She's right." Cory said. He glanced at me. I gave him my devil eyes. He jumped and squealed.

"Why are you really doing this?" Riley asked. "Yeah, Matthews. Talk," I ordered. "Because I want you and your friends to become human beings. And I believe that by doing this, you guys can learn to become real human beings." Matthews said. I heard the buzzer thingy buzz. _"Hey, losers, it's Maya."_ Maya said, from the other side. "Except her." Matthews said. I giggled.

Riley stood up and walked to the door. "You know what? I am going to do this. I can get through this whole thing without making a text or a call." Riley said. She pressed the buzzer thingy. "Come on up." Riley said into the call box thing.

"Of course you can, sweetheart." Topanga said, walking over to Riley, "And you know what? You're already a wonderful human being. But every so often, little tests like this are gonna come up." Topanga told her. "Why?" Riley asked. "Because it's your father's job to give you little tests. And maybe along the way, you guys are going to learn a little bit more about yourselves." Topanga answered.

The front door opened, to reveal Maya. "Yeah, like I've learned that I'm actually really okay with all of this." Maya said. "You don't miss your phone?" Topanga said. "Mrs. Matthew, Maya and I talked about this. We are the only ones in class without a smart phone anyways," I said. "And now Dylan and I kind of feel like everybody's even." Maya added. I nodded.

The buzzer buzzed again. I groaned. "Ugh! That thing is _so_ annoying," I complained. _"Farkle."_ I heard Farkle say. "Be ready in a minute." Riley said. The buzzing happened again. _"And Lucas."_ I heard Lucas say. "Ready now!" Riley shouted, and jumped up and ran out of the door. I let out a little laugh. I grabbed my backpack, and Maya and I followed Riley out to meet up with the boys.

"What is this place?" I asked, as we entered this so called "library". "This is where the ancients stored all of their wisdom." Farkle told us. I noticed a shelf of stuff. "Look at all of those" I said, getting everyone's attention. "Books." Farkle said. "Books." Maya, Riley, and I said unison.

"Look." Lucas said, picking up a book and started to blow off the dust on it. "Tales of human interaction." Lucas read the tittle. "We'll take it." I said, grabbing the book, from Lucas and walking over to the table with everyone else behind me. "Thanks, quickdraw." Maya said to Lucas.

"Farkle, do whatever you do with that." I said, dropping the book on the table. "You mean read?" Farkle asked. I nodded. "Chapter one" Farkle begun. "Oh, I'm bored out of my mind. Let's go to a movie." Maya suggested. "Shh!" Someone shushed us. "Ah!" We all screamed and whipped around to see an old lady reading a book.

"There's one of those ancients now." Farkle whispered to us. We walked over to the old lady and stood in front of her. "Oh, wondrous gatekeeper of the knowledge, we are travelers from another time and place." Farkle introduced. I rolled my eyes. "Seventh grade middle school." Riley said.

"We wish to partake of this information from your great hall of wisdom." Farkle said. "Do you rent phones?" Riley asked. "Shh!" The lady shushed. "There's no one here but us." Lucas pointed out. "Why do we have to shush?" Maya asked. "Let me handle this, Maya. She obviously likes it quiet." Farkle said.

"Hello, book lady." Farkle greeted. "Well, hello. And who might you be?" The book lady asked. "I might be Farkle." Farkle answered. "Would you do me a favor, Farkle?' Book lady asked. "Oh, we all know he will," I said. Farkle nodded. "Why don't you go over there and shh!" She shouted. "Well, that's disappointing." I said.

"So Yeah. Uh-huh." Farkle said, walking over to the book. "This chapter is called "disconnect to connect." Farkel said. "Not until we put down our phones, switch off our computers and look in each other's eyes will we be able to touch each other's hearts." Maya read from the chapter. "Yeah, like that's going to work on anybody." I said.

Lucas and Riley took over the table, and Farkle, Maya, and I took over the window seat. Maya was doing something on a notepad, Farkle was talking, and I was writing in my notepad that was in my bag.

 _A girl thought she needed her phone, more than anything in the world. What she didn't know was that life was passing by her. She spent her life looking down on the phone screen. Tuning out all of life. She grew old, and then died. She never got a chance to live life. Do what she always wanted to do. She is watching over over others, to make sure no one lived life like she did. To make sure people lived their life to their dreams._

"People used to need places like this." Farkle said, getting my attention. I closed my notepad and looked at Farkle as he spoke.

"Now we can hold everything that's here in a little device we can put in our pockets. I don't even need to look out this window to know what phase the moon is in or where the stars are." Farkle said. "Yeah, well, I don't have a phone like that." I told him. "Me neither. I just have the actual sky." Maya said. I nodded.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for you guys. You're at a real disadvantage. That can be the basis of our presentation, okay? Want to read back the notes?" Farkle said. "What notes?" Maya and I asked in unison. "You weren't taking notes?" Farkle asked. I shook my head. "No." Maya said.

"You know, why bother? Without a computer, all we have is a pencil and a pad.

What could we possibly do with that?" Farkle said, snatching Maya's notebook. My eyes widen and a little gasp left my lips.

"Maya, I had no idea." Farkle said, showing Maya the picture. Maya had drew the view from the window, so beautifully. "Yeah, neither did I." Maya admitted, staring at the picture.

"Because it's not until you really looked at each other and made a human connection that you can even begin to know each other." Maya read from the book we had earlier. "Look in my eyes." Farkel ordered Maya. "No," Maya answered. "Look in my eyes." Farkle ordered me. "No." I replied. "Look in my eyes." Farkle ordered the both of us. "No!" We both shouted in unison.

"There is no connection you can make with any screen that compares to the moment you understand only human beings have souls." I read from the book. "I have a soul." Farkle said. "No." I said. "I do!" Farkle shouted. "No," Maya said. "I do!" He shouted. "No." Maya and I said in unison.

I sat in the classroom, the next day. Mr. Matthews was handing back our phones.

"Here you go take your phone. Take it now. Very good. Here's your phone." Cory said, handing out the last of the phones, "Good, great, nobody talks to nobody. No more feelings. Thank you." He walked up to the front of the room. "Okay, guys, the great technology debate. Let's boot it up!" Cory cheered. Riley, Lucas, Maya, Farkle, and I walked up to the front of the room.

"I have always believed technology would help us fulfill our potential as a species. And when Farkle does rule the world, no matter what devices we come up with, we should also never forget what we can do with a pencil, a piece of paper and our own imaginations." Farkle said. He took a folded piece of paper out of his phone. He un-folded it to reveal Maya's picture.

"I've been keeping this in my pocket where my phone used to be. I keep looking at it. I'm fine." Farkle said. "Thanks, Farkle." Maya said. "Wait. There is also something else." Farkle said. He took out another piece of paper. He un-folded it and began to read it.

"A girl thought she needed her phone, more than anything in the world. What she didn't know was that life was passing by her. She spent her life looking down on the phone screen. Tuning out all of life. She grew old, and then died. She never got a chance to live life. Do what she always wanted to do. She is watching over over others, to make sure no one lived life like she did. To make sure people lived their life to their dreams." Farkle read.

I smiled. "This was written by none other than Dylan Hart," Farkle said. "Thank you Farkle," I told him. "Look in my eyes." He ordered. "No." I said, looking away.

"I thought my whole life was in my phone, but it turns out that I don't really have any friends in here. And you don't need your phone to connect with your real friends." Riley said. "Allow us to demonstrate." Lucas said. The two turned to face each other.

"Hi." Lucas greeted. "Hi." Riley said.

Maya and I stood behind a book shelf at the library. We heard Cory walk in. He pushed aside some books that were up too high.

"We're not that tall." I said. Cory then pushed aside some books way to low to the ground. "Really?" Maya asked. Cory then pushed aside some books that were in front of our faces. "How you doin'?" We both greeted in unison.

"You two will keep an eye on Riley at all times. You two will send me message alerts. You two will send me pictures." Cory told us. "You're really scared, aren't you?" Maya asked. "I'm a father." Cory told us. "Yeah. They're just friends." I told him. "Believe me, I know the story." Cory said. "But you're forgetting, we don't have the technology." Maya told him. I nodded. "Now you do." Cory said.

Maya and I walked out from behind the book shelf and walked over to Mr. Matthews. He handed Maya and I each a box. "You got us a phones?" I asked. "My motives are completely selfish." Cory said. "I'm not sure they are, Mr. Matthews." Maya told him.

"Well, I also got you these." Cory said. He handed Maya another box. "Colored pencils?" Maya asked. "Yeah. And, Dylan. I got you something too," Cory said. He handed me another box. I opened it to reveal a writing set. "A writing set?" I asked. Cory nodded. "You two let me know everything that's going on with Riley. And if something beautiful ever happens, paint me a picture. Or write me a story," Cory said.


	3. Girl Meets Sneak Attack

I pressed the button for the inter com thingy. It buzzed. "Dylan." I spoke into it. "Maya." Maya spoke. "Farkle." Farkle spoke. I heard the buzzer buzz, meaning we can come up. Maya, Farkle, and I walked to Riley's family's apartment. We walkd in through the door, to see the Matthews eating breakfeast.

"Maya, Dylan, oatmeal." Topanga asked, well more like ordered us. I shook my head. "No thanks, Mrs. Matthews." Maya told her. "Oh, I wasn't asking." Topanga told us. "Yeow." I said, and made my way to the table with Maya. We took our seats next to Riley and slowly ate the oatmeal.

"Farkle, you too." Topanga told our friend, setting down another bowl of oatmeal. "Thank you. But my mother already made me eggs, home fries, wheat toast, marmalade and a strawberry shaped like a star." Farkle said, walking over to the table. I stared at him wide eyed. "I'm going to the Farkle's. Who's with me?!" Auggie shouted. I stood up with him. "I'm with ya!" I shouted. "Sit down." Topanga ordered us. We did what we were told.

"Eat it please." Topanga said. Farkle and I looked at each other. And then back at Topanga. "But it's still this." We said, pointing to our bowls of oatmeal. Topanga glared at us.

"Hey, Auggie, guess what. It's Googly time." Mr. Matthews said. I smiled. "Yay!" I cheered, clapping my hands together. "No TV at the table." Topanga told us. "You're right, Topanga. This table is about the discussion of today's events only. Riley." Cory said. "I woke up. I love everything. I sat here." Riley said. I giggled. "All caught up. Googly time!" Cory said, turning on the TV. We all sang along to the theme song. "Here comes Mr. Googly and his foogly boogly friends." We sang. Auggie turned the TV off. "Hey!" We shouted at the young boy.

"I'm too old for Mr. Googly." Auggie told us. "What?" We asked in unison. "But, Auggie, Mr. Googly is your best friend." Topanga told her son. She picked up Auggie's stuffed toy of Mr. Googly. "Auggie, I'm your foogly boogly best friend." Topanga said in her Mr. Googly voice.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Auggie asked the toy. "Of course. You can tell Mr.

Googly all your secrets." Topanga said in the Googly voice. "I have a new best friend now." Auggie said. "Oh really? Who would that be?" "I don't want to tell you who she is." Auggie said. I gave him a look. "She?" Everyone but Auggie asked. "I said too much." Auggie said.

"Okay, why don't you tell Mr. Googly all about your new best friend and none of us will listen." Topanga said. We all looked away, but we were still listening. "I'm this many. I'm done with you now. Goodbye." Auggie said, taking the toy and placing it on the couch. He walked out of the room. "They grow up so fast." Riley said. I nodded.

"I was so worried about this new school year." Riley said, as we walked to the history classroom, "New school, new people, I didn't think I was going to survive. Not only am I surviving, I'm thriving. I'm like a plant going like this," Riley said, doing some weird thing. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Please don't," I said. She nodded, and stopped.

"What was I so worried about?" Riley asked. I shrugged. Suddenly Maya put her hands over Riley's eyes. "What are you doing?" I asked, confused. "Oh, but this is too easy. It's Maya." Riley said, "I know because I saw you put your hand over my face." Maya gestured to the door. I looked through it. When I did, I felt so bad for Riley. Lucas and this girl, were like. Flirting. I looked back at Maya and nodded.

"I'll do you now." Riley said, removing Maya's hand and tried to put her hand on Maya's eyes. "Oh, that's not the game." Maya said. "What's the game?" Riley asked. "The game is... protect the plant from the... bulldozer in... the pink sweater." I said, slowly. Maya nodded. "Oh, Maya, Dylan, bulldozers don't wear pink Huh." Riley said, when she saw the sight in the classroom. "You okay?" Maya asked. "Yeah." Riley said. Riley leaned back on the lockers behind us, and sunk down. Maya and I sunk down beside her.

"Oh, look what the bulldozer did to you." Maya said. "There are other girls in this world." Riley said. "There are." I said. "And other girls, like Missy Bradford, are going to talk to Lucas." Riley continued. "They are." Maya said. "I don't like that." Riley mumbled. "We know." I said. "I wish the world was just us," Riley told us. Maya and I shared a look. "Then it is." We said in unison. We had a little hug moment.

"Sneak attack December 7th, 1941. A date which will live in infamy." Mr. Matthews said, beginning yet another lesson. " A date? They're going on a date? In Italy?" Riley asked all depressed. "No, honey." Maya said. "You're in History." I reminded. "I'm history?" Riley asked. I shook my head. "Okay, put your hand up." Maya said to Riley, while I raised her hand.

"Yes, Riley? You have a pertinent observation on the subject of the sneak attack?" Mr. Matthews asked. Riley glanced at us. "May I be excused?" Maya whispered to her. "My eyes see my shoes." Riley said. I looked down at my pink combat boots. Mr. Matthews looked at me. I gestured with my head, towards Lucas and Missy. "Yes, Riley, you may be excused." Mr. Matthews said, understanding the situation. "Forever?" Riley asked, hopefully.

"No, you have to come back to class at some point, honey. You just have to." Mr. Matthews told her. Riley stood up, and walked to the door. She was about to walk into the wall, but Mr. Matthews pushed her a little so she'll walk out the door.

"It was another sunny day in paradise before the sneak attack that changed everything." Mr. Matthews continued, "People who had viewed themselves as safe no longer had any security at all." The back door of the classroom swung opened, revealing an angry Riley. She walked up to Missy's and Lucas' desks.

"Boop? That's the best you got?" Riley questioned her. "Please be cool, please be cool, please be cool." Maya and I kept whispering to ourselves. "You don't think that I can do boop?" Riley asked Missy. Maya turned to Farkle and I. "How bad do you think this is gonna be?" She asked. "I think we should have some faith in our Riley." Farkle said. "Yeah, no. This is going to end badly," I told them.

"I can do boop like you've never seen. Boop!" Riley said turning to Lucas. My eyes widened. Riley's finger was in Lucas' nose. "Does anybody see this?" Riley asked. "Everybody sees this." Missy told her. "Take your finger out!" Maya hissed at Riley. "Can't. Can't move. Scared." Riley told Maya, "Do you think Lucas knows?" "Riley, I've never seen anything like this before. I don't know what's going to happen." Maya said. "Dylan?" Riley asked. "Don't know what to expect Riles." I answered. "Farkle?" She asked. "Boy, Riley. I don't think I could do that even if I tried." Farkle said, standing up.

"Hey, Maya, boop." Farkle said, booping Maya's nose. "Oh no." Farkle said. I shook my head.

"The bombing of Pearl Harbor was our official entrance into a world at war, and nothing would ever be the same." Mr. Matthews concluded.

"You want me to bring you lunch?" Farkle asked Riley. Who was hiding in her locker. "No. Food would only keep me alive." Riley said. I nodded. We were standing around the locker. Well, Farkle and Maya were. I was sitting next to the locker.

"Come on, little plant." I started. "Come back into the sun." Maya finished. "I'm afraid something terrible will happen if I ever come out of here." Riley told us. "Riley, that's crazy. Nothing could be worse than what's already happened." I informed her. Missy walked up to us.

"Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you." Missy said to Riley, "You're not upset with me, are you? Because I didn't hear that you and Lucas were together or anything." I narrowed my eyes on Missy. "We're not." Riley told her. "Hmm, yeah, that's what I thought. So if you're not, then it's not a problem if I ask Lucas out, because he's really cute. Don't you think?" Missy said.

"I loathe you." Maya told her. I nodded. "Well, Lucas doesn't. In fact, I think he's kind of into me. Shocker." Missy said, and walked away. "I really despise her," I told my friends. "Me too," Maya said. "I live here now." Riley said.

I sat in Riley's bedroom window, with her and Maya. "I think of this as a personal challenge issued by Missy Bradford to grow up and to grow up fast. So what do I do?" Riley told us. I shrugged. "Nothing." Maya said. "Give me advice. You guys are geniuses at this." Riley told us, "Grow me up."

"Why?" I asked. "Because everybody else is." Riley reasoned. "That's not the way I see it." Maya said. I nodded. "How can you two see it any other way?" Riley asked. "Missy Bradford has decided to grow up fast. That has nothing to do with you." I told Riley.

"But what if Lucas takes her to a scary movie? "I get scared at scary movies.

You'll take care of me, won't you?" Riley said, imitating Missy, "Barf! Barf, I say!" I giggled. "Riley, do you want Lucas to take you to the movies?" Maya asked. "Alone? I don't know if I'm ready for that." Riley told us. "Then what do you want from him?" I asked. "I don't know. I just I don't want him with her. Am I jealous?" Riley asked. "You wouldn't know how to be jealous." Maya said. I nodded.

"I just I don't want him taken away from us. She's bad news. Teach me how to flirt." Riley said, doing a winky face. "Yeah. Not gonna do that." I said, shaking my head no. "Why not?" Riley asked. "We don't even know how to flirt. Who our age knows how to flirt?" Maya asked. "Hello, ladies." Farkle's voice said. We turned around and saw Farkle leaning on the window frame.

"Farkle, you were out there?" I asked. "I'm always out there." Farkle answered. "Farkle. That's creepy," I told him. "Farkle, you're the biggest flirt in seventh grade." Riley began. "Why, thank you." Farkle said. "Not sure that's a compliment. " I told him.

"Can you teach me how to flirt with Lucas?" Riley asked, hopefully. "I would do whatever you asked me." Farkle replied. "But I thought you loved her." Maya said. "I love all three of you. I want you happy." Farkle replied.

I sat on my bed. I was setting up the new phone, Mr. Matthews had gotten me. When I was finished, I set the phone down. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I glanced at my nightstand and there was the writing set Cory had also got me. I gently smiled and picked it up.

I opened the box, and took out a pencil and some stationary paper. I tapped my pencil against my chin. I finally decided that I should just write a diary.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Why do people think they need to grow up so fast? Can't they understand that you should just remain as a kid, while you still have time to be one? Just cause someone else has decided to grow up doesn't mean you have to. I just. I just don't understand why. Well. Until next time. Bye!_

I put the piece of paper and pencil back in the set and went to bed. I had another dreamless sleep.

"So you think he'll sit with us or her?" Riley asked, as I sat down at our table. I assumed she was talking about Lucas. "I try not to worry about things I have no control over." Maya told our friend. I nodded. "Really? Because that's all I do." Riley said. I let out a little giggle.

"Hey, can I sit with you guys?" Farkle asked, standing by our table. "You better." Riley told him. Farkle nodded and say down on one of the two empty chairs at our table.

"So you think he'll sit with us or her?" Farkle hissed. "Hey, what's up? Is there a seat with you guys?" Lucas asked, walking up to us. "Always room for you, buddy." Riley told him and then turned to Maya and I, "I said "buddy". I'm not helping myself, am I?" I shook my head, along with Maya.

As I played with my salad with my fork, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Missy walk over to our table. She stood behind Lucas. "Well, you know, I was just thinking," Mussy started, grabbing Lucas and dragging him to a table in front of us, "That if you and I are going to the movies together, I should find out what kind of snacks you like so I could buy some for you. Because I wouldn't want you paying for everything."

"You're toast." Farkle told Riley. "I know." Riley mumbled. "Are you saying she flirts better than you?" Maya asked. "Oh, nobody's better than Farkle." Farkle told us, "I just don't think my young protege is ready for that monster." "So what are you gonna do, genius?" Maya asked. I nodded, and waited for Farkle's answer.

"I think I'll just steal her from Lucas myself." Farkle replied. "You would do that for me?" Riley asked. I looked at Farkle, absolutely stunned. "Well, I'm certainly not doing it for me, toots. She's evil. If I'm not back in two minutes, she ate me." Farkle told us, "How's my hair?" He asked. "It hasn't changed in six years." I told him. "She doesn't stand a chance." Farkle said. He flipped his arm and walked over to Missy and Lucas' table.

"Hello, lady." Farkle greeted. "Farkle." Missy greeted. "Why go to the movies with a boy when you can go with a man?" Farkle said, putting his leg on the table, and showing off his chicken legs., "Enjoy." "Wow, look at you. You're next." Missy told Farkle. He looked shocked and slightly stunned. He walked back over to our table.

"It worked. I'm next." Farkle said, staring off to space. I snapped my finger several times in Farkle's face, but he kept staring off into space. "Riley, she's too good." Maya told her, "You can't compete with her." I took my spoon and hit Farkle in the head with it. Not to hard though. "I don't want them together. I don't." Riley said. I was now about to whack Farkle with my lunch tray. "DYLAN!" Maya shouted. I put the tray down and turned to my sister. "No. Just no," She told me.

I nodded. I then noticed Riley wasn't here. "Where's Riley?" I asked. Maya gestured with her head to Missy's table. Where Riley stood beside Lucas.

"Riley." Lucas asked. "Lucas." Riley began, "I don't know what's going on here and I don't have any right to say this, but I don't think you should hang out alone with _this_ girl." "Why not?" Lucas asked. I could tell he was a little amused by this. "I don't really know, I think if you actually spend time with her alone it's gonna change things for you know. All of us." Riley told him.

"Well, aren't you just a concerned friend?" Missy asked. "Yeah, I am." Riley said, nodding her head. "Well, with you around, how could I ever possibly get Lucas alone?" Missy asked. I saw her pick up some potato salad. She smushed the salad on her's and Lucas' face. "Food fight!" She shouted. "Hey!" Lucas shouted. "No food fight! Detention this afternoon, both of you!" Mr. Matthews told them and walked off. "Oh no, both of us. Alone." Missy said. I felt my blood boil.

"Hey, Dylan. You're. Kind of.. uh," Farkle started. "Spit it out, Farkle!" I demanded. "You're kind of crushing your spoon." Farkle told me. I looked down at my spoon, and it was about to break in half. "Oops. Don't look at me. I don't know my own strength.

"How could you do that, Dad?" Riley asked. Riley and I were in her father's classroom. Maya was getting in place for our plan. "What did I do?" Mr. Matthews asked. "You gave them detention together." I replied. "I was the cafeteria monitor. I saw potatoes not where potatoes are supposed to be. Detention him, detention her." Matthews defended.

"But Lucas didn't even do anything." Riley protested. "Don't care. I'm mad with power." Matthews told us. "Then I want detention too." Riley said. I gave her a look. "Riley. You do know, that. Nobody really wants detention. They want to do bad stuff and get away with it," I told her.

"You do?" Mr. Matthews asked, ignoring my comment, "Riley, you've never had detention in your whole life. What could you possibly do that would get you detention on such short notice?" "I could introduce you to my special guest star." Riley suggested. "Uh-oh." Mr. Matthews said, his face going a bit pale. Maya walked into the room and jumped on his back.

"Nothing personal, bub." Maya told him as he fell to his knees. Riley and I sat down as we violently tickled him. "Yeah, that'll do it." Mr. Matthews said, "Nice job." "Pleasure doing business with you." Maya said. The two shook hands.

Missy and Lucas walked into the classroom, for detention. 'How you doing?" I greeted. "What are you doing here?" Missy asked. "Oh, I'm a bad girl." Riley said. I held in my laugh. "Yeah, you don't want to mess with this one." Maya warned.

Missy walked over to my desk, and scoffed. "What are these, place cards?" She asked, holding up my place card. "Yep, I made them. You sit over there." Riley said, pointing to the back corner desk where a bad place card with Missy's name on it was. "I think this seat has my name on it, actually." Missy said, taking the seat next to Lucas.

"All right, guys. I like my detention to have a little learning in it. So I'd like to continue talking about Pearl Harbor and what happened after the sneak attack," Mr. Matthews said, "The world was at war and alliances were forged in battle and were made stronger because of that." "What is this place?" Farkle asked, popping into the room. "It's detention, Farkle. It's not for you." Mr. Matthews told him. "If my friends are in it, then it's for me." Farkle said, walking in and taking his seat behind Riley.

"During this war the United States was put to one of its greatest tests when it met a threat to our way of life. But because we were united, we prevailed." Matthews continued.

"Hey, Riley? Missy invited me to see a movie with her." Lucas told her, getting my attention. "I think she's aware of that, Lucas. No need to make her feel worse." Missy said. I glared at her. "And I was wondering if maybe you guys would like to come along with us?" Lucas asked. I stared at him in confusion.

"You want us?" Riley asked. "I'm sorry, Lucas. That wasn't the invitation." Missy said. "Oh! Well then, I'm sorry, Missy, but I can't go." Lucas told her. "What are you talking about? Nobody's ever turned me down in my life." Missy admitted. "Well, see, these are my friends. And I don't like doing anything without my friends. Right, Riley?" Lucas said. "Yeah. Right." Riley said.

"Now I certainly appreciate your wanting me to care of you during a scary movie, and you showing me your leg and all, but back here in the seventh grade, I think maybe we'd have more fun just hanging out together." Lucas said. "Boop." Maya and I said to Missy. She stood up, grabbed ger things, and walked to the door. "Grow up." She hissed at us. "Not. Yet." Riley said, as Missy walked out. "Oh, she's leaving? Okay." Mr. Matthews said.

"Hey." Riley said. "Hey." Lucas said back. "You know what the easiest thing about having friends is?" Riley ask. "What?" Lucas asked. "Sometimes all you have to do is trust them." Riley answered.

"When peace time came, the United States enjoyed its greatest period of growth, prosperity and happiness." Mr. Matthews continued, "Detention over." He walked to the door. "You guys coming?" Mr. Matthews asked. "No, we're good right here." Riley answered. I nodded.


	4. Girl Meets Father

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f5f42a2aaa95433484914f7068033911""Look at that ninth-grade woman." Riley said. I turned around to see a girl applying lip gloss to her lips. "She's putting on makeup. We're going to be ninth-grade women someday." Riley told us. My eyes widened. "This thing goes to ninth grade?" I asked. Riley nodded./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f20f8484bbe1bfccf5de9036574f9e1f""Why that?" Riley asked, as she pointed to the girl putting on mascara. "Brings out your eyes." Maya asked. "Why would I want to take out my eyes?" Riley asked. "She's not taking out her eyes." I told her. "And I think she is." Riley said. I looked at the girl to see her using an eye lash curler./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="569381100943a47177743e89dcf3f622""It's an eyelash curler. It doesn't even hurt." The girl said, holding up the eyelash curler for Riley to use. Riley chuckled and took it. "I have eyelashes." Riley said, taking the curler from her. "Watch this." Maya told the girl, as we walked up to her./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="56c3f1aa8f76437d1935aca2bda3422a""Ahh!" Riley screamed as the curler made contact. "Anybody else would stop." I told her. "Ahh!" Riley screamed again, as her father walked by. "Open it." Mr. Matthews told her. Riley opened it and stood up straight. "Thanks, daddy." Riley said. "Yeah, okay." Cory said, walking away./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a7021358d5cf11f143b9965e680cd455""Ladies." Farkle greeted, walking up to us. "Farkle." We greeted back. "School dance. I'm gonna put you three down for dance numbers one through all of them. We will alternate. You and me, me and you, you and me. When you are not dancing with me, you may not dance with anyone else. You may sit and wait until you dance with me again." Farkle told us. I shook my head. "Yeah, none of this is happening." Maya and I told him in unison./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="19fc72dfaf082614de4ee34f2dccd5c1""Oh." Farkle said, disappointed, "Well, then may I have one dance with each of you?" "Sure." Riley answered. "Ha! That's all I wanted. You just got played by Farkle." Farkle said, walking away./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="6e078104d43003f8395aebed7e734ebf""Hey, guys." Lucas greeted, walking by us. "Lucas!" Riley shouted, raising her hand. "Hand." Maya said. "Lucas!" Riley shouted. "Grown-up voice." I reminded. "Lucas, hello." Riley said, walking up to him. "Hey." Lucas greeted./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="464474513c898045207b0a9da4840c46""Hey, hee haw." Maya greeted. "You going to tick tock shake your body time?" I asked. "'Cause, you know, it's not a square-dance, so not gonna be a whole lot of do-si-doin'." Maya finished. "Well, then I'm sure I'll have no idea what to do and you two can make fun of me." Lucas said. My eyes widened./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1aae6b9dd800a3933a5373b22dfa14a5""You're not playing this right!" Maya and I shouted, pointing at him. "Well, that's certainly not my intention. I'll try harder next time." Lucas said. "We will break you!" We shouted in unison. "Well, if that's what makes you happy, then I certainly can't wait for it Madams," Lucas said, tipping an invisible hat at us. Maya and I shuddered. "Ohhhh!" We both shouted, and turned around./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="9b1b9ecb3a42418ecac3a830dfeef744""You going to the school dance, Lucas?" Riley asked. "Thought I would. You?" Lucas asked. Maya mimicked a gagging sound. "You hear me?" Maya asked. She did the gagging sound again. "You'll both be there. He'll be the one in the cowboy hat going like this." I said. Maya and I began to do some sort of cowboy dance./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="627b3abfaa616b2f7ea967a217aa6bb9"The bell rung, as more people joined. Riley and Lucas walked away. People were clapping in rhythm for me and Maya. We stopped and glared at the people. "It isn't for you!" We shouted at them. They kept clapping. Maya and I looked at each other. "Okay, fine," She said. She and I continued our dance./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="06ce86a69984e8f252fa95cfdeb7e3c3"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="778c35c6b6ab3f1f9e0291518663f755""Friar." Cory greeted, as we walked into the class the next day, "Farkle. Hart. Hart. You." The last one he said to Riley. "Dad, I didn't-" Riley began as I sat in my seat. "Ferp!" Cory said, cutting her off. "Okay." Riley said. She walked to her seat next to me and sat down./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="cdb8a48c6bf8a24cd98bc5149d8d57b8""Well, guys, I've got your test results on Darwin to give back to you. And, uh, I'm pleased to see some of you have em style="box-sizing: border-box;"evolved/em since the last quiz." Cory said. He looked at us, probably expecting us to laugh or something. "Ha!" Farkle shouted. "Thanks, Farkle." Cory thanked. "Well, you were drowning, sir." Farkle said. "So. Let him drown," I said, earning a glare from Cory./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="43e52045d80549b67e31c86b35f8f30b""Ms. Hart." Cory said, as he began to hand out our tests, "Mr. Friar, nice work." "Thank you, sir." Lucas said, taking the test. "Mr. Farkle." Cory said, handing the test to Farkle. "'A' number seven hundred. Huzzah!" Farkle shouted, and blowed on a noisemaker. "You," Cory said, handing the test to Riley, "Ms. Hart." He walked away to hand out the other tests./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="743220e017bb00496dfebbee02808981"I looked down at my mark, and as always, I got a "A-". I placed my test down, and looked up at Maya. I noticed she was staring at her test. Like she was in some sort of trance./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="99671fcb6b6d8981f82f121dc6ff1980""You okay?" Riley asked, noticing Maya's behavior. "He gave me an 'F.'" Maya said, still in her trance. "That's nuts." Riley mumbled, but Maya and I heard her. "Yeah. You're a solid "D" student." I agreed./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ed586dc330bab067088f901ebdceaabc""Mr. Friar, I took particular note of your position that evolution does not preclude the existence of how did you put it?" Mr. Matthews asked Lucas, after he handed all of the tests out. "A guiding hand that has your best interest at heart." Lucas read. "Ms. Hart. I also noticed how you put the answer to the question. Please read?" Mr. Matthews asked. I looked down at my paper, and found the question. I read out loud my answer. "A choice made not by us, but. God. Who always knows what is best for us. Even if we don't know it is the best," I read. Mr. Matthews nodded./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="82f9e03896e70e80904abdbd67903ce5"Maya raised her hand. "Yes, Ms. Hart?" Mr. Matthews asked. "You failed me." Maya said. "Why don't we talk about this after class." Mr. Matthews suggested. "What's there to talk about? You failed me," Maya said, standing up, "You em style="box-sizing: border-box;"think /emI'm a failure. There's nothing more for you to teach me." She handed him her test. "Oh, come on! Both of you gotta say that? What, you mean I lost you both? I lost two out of three of ya?" Mr. Matthews asked. Maya glanced at Riley and I and began walking to the door./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1697c8fbbfc52c5eed9d68c2e8fe4e70""Maya! Cory shouted at her. Maya stopped and turned around. "You do not walk out of here!" Cory shouted. Maya and I made eye contact. I shook my head and mouthed em style="box-sizing: border-box;""No"/em to her. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""I'm sorry"/em Maya mouthed back to me. She took another quick glance at me, and then walked out. Riley and I raised our hands. "Go." He told us. Riley and I ran out of the door, and to Maya's locker, where we found her emptying? it out./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b0442c35086f1ba7ada53cda7ccf327d""Redecorating your locker?" Riley asked. "Nope. Cleaning it out." Maya said, holding up a creepy doll with no head. "You want one? 'Cause it's the last one you're gonna get." Maya said, holding up two cotton candy sticks. Riley and I nodded. Maya sticked the two cotton candy sticks in her locker, and circus music began to play. It stopped, and Maya handed Riley and I the cotton candy./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ae8e64e5aac4f13607e39fe14d6f75f0""Maya, it's just one 'F.'" Riley said. "Yeah. It was just one," I agreed. "It's not about the paper, Riley, Maya. Riley, your dad failed me." Maya said. "Yeah, I know. And I'm not going on the cyclone. I failed him." Riley said. I furrowed my eyebrows. "We'll talk about em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that/em later." I said, making hand gestures and then turned back to Maya, "Can't we just call it even?" -/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d6e6d164dbfd55b927bcfc1bc3e238e6""No. We can just call it I'm leaving." Maya said, walking to the stairs. I turned around and faced her. "Maya, I know you. You'll make a big deal about this, pretend to leave school forever, and you'll be back by gym class," I told her. "No, this time I mean it." Maya said. "All right, Maya. I'll see you tomorrow." Riley said./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="aa248b86acc3a47084c2f77af01602bd""No. You won't." Maya told her. "You'll pick me up at 7:00, with Dylan." Riley said. "I won't be there." Maya said. And walked up the stairs. After that, I couldn't see her anymore./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3dd896fed7645a43f20527ebcf9257a1""Riley. She's gone."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2619895a8b01a127d2edcd474556d25a"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c320cc8258fedd8396ac139f736b4017"I stood by the front door of my family's house. I tapped my foot against the wooden floor boards. I was waiting for Maya. I knew she wasn't going to come to school today, but. I was gonna give it another try. I saw Maya walk down the hallways in her pj's. She noticed me and stopped./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="296f88d069d5a885bb0c9a99f4dc147f""Good morning Maya. Let's go," I said. Maya sighed. "I told you, Dyl. I'm not going back to that place." Maya said. "Maya-" I started. "No, Dylan. Don't. I told you. I'm not going back," Maya said, and disappeared into the hallway./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d87c059a09668142023dbfdd21da17e1"I let out a breath, I didn't know I was holding and walked out the door, to Riley's apartment./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="58fb0d69b112a6440d6704dcab2dc88b"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="754150ec72bf2c98cb26011b8bd58bc4""You made your point, okay?" I asked, Maya. I was now in Riley's bedroom windows with her and Maya. "You didn't come to school today and your teacher is really upset with you." Riley continued. I nodded. "He's not my teacher anymore." Maya told us. I rolled my eyes./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="60800ecc0ec69849c645361625b5c000""I now attend a prestigious online academy." Maya told us. "Welcome to the Frank Mantucci on da computer school, where youse get out of it what you put into it. And what you need to put into it is 400 dollars. Gimme." A guy on the computer said in a Brooklyn accent. "You paid that?" Riley asked./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a2a5cf40eb5f3f443b7dbd9e25d454c5""I took the test to see if I qualify for the free trial." Maya replied. "Maya, it's a scam!" I shouted, "They take anybody!"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="62977584f276adba4c9cbeb3b2f41566""Congratulations!" The computer guy shouted. "I got in!" Maya said in enthusiasm. "You are the first person to ever fail the Frank Mantucci on da computer school. How'd you do dat?" The computer finished. Riley and I shared a knowing look. We turned back to Maya. "How'd you do dat?" We said in unison, mimicking the guy on the computer./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="553ce0703a5874918877c38de652f068""We asked: "Name?" You didn't put nuttin'." The dude said. "Well, at least you were smart enough not to give them your name." Riley pointed out. I nodded. "It's not that I'm smart enough." Maya told us. "Then what is it?" I asked. "Maybe sometimes I'm not so proud of who I am." Maya replied. I looked down at my palms when she answered./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="64f8471a392068eeb8739c45713cf19a"Riley's door opened, revealing Topanga. " How's it going in here?" She asked. "Mom, tell Maya to come back to school regular school." Riley ordered. I nodded. "Hmm. So you two don't like this, huh?" Topanga asked. "Of course not!" Riley and I shouted in unison./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="acd775d375056e096381f84e8b570c1c""Maya always comes to school with us." I stated. "She always picks me up with Dylan at-" Riley started. "Like a tradition?"Topanga asked, cutting her off. "Yeah!" Riley shouted. A moment of realization struck Riley. "Oh." Riley mumbled. "You know, even though you're a mother, that was creepy good." I told Topanga./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c93fd844d6200c7b72e5d218f674212f""So, Maya doesn't show up like she's supposed to and how does that make you feel?" Topanga asked. "Oh" Riley said. " Honey, you have to go to him. He feels bad. You have to go to your father." Topanga told her daughter. "I feel bad. Will he come to me?" Maya asked. "No. He's your teacher." I pointed out. "He doesn't have to." Riley continued. "But he will." Topanga reassured./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="5fa9f1fcc70669c5c4051354c10a274d""What?" Maya asked in disbelief. "He doesn't have to, but he will." Topanga answered. "Why?" Riley asked. "Because he's always there." Topanga replied. The door opened again, revealing Cory. "Always." Cory said. He grabbed Maya by the hand, and lead her out of the room. Riley and I followed./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ed790e134796eb704dd092dde146a792"~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="512262949e95209face1da5f0346939e""Read it." Mr. Matthews told Maya. Riley and I were standing in the doorway which lead into the hallways. Maya had her test in her hands. "I don't want to do this, Mr. Matthews." Maya said, trying to stand up. "Sit down." I ordered. "You can't tell me-" Maya began. "I just did." I said, cutting her off. "Thanks." Riley said, as she and I sat down on each side of Maya. "Go ahead." I said./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3535c2f69a617378be3c472cb5499411""Darwin animal studies were thought to be when the travels he took on the boat with the Beatles." Maya read from her test. "Are you kidding me?" Riley and I asked. "Do they have to be here?" Maya asked./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d7d85203746f427919ab2a43e3fd4a78""What were you trying to do?" Cory asked her. "I tried to write it like I was smart. Like Dylan," Maya said. I looked at her in disbelief. "You are smart, Maya." I told her. "What did you mean to say?" Cory asked. "Darwin studied animals." Maya replied. "What kind?" Cory asked, again. "I don't know." Maya admitted. "She does know." Riley said. "I don't know. You think I don't what I don't know?" Maya asked. "I think you know more than you don't know, but you don't know that!" Riley replied. "You know what?" Maya asked./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="20ec70e0231a1f29020a36ffd6854efd""What did Darwin study?" Cory asked. "Birds." Maya answered. "There you go." Cory said. "Really? I got that one wrong." Riley admitted. "You want to be smart, Maya? Say what you mean. I understood that perfectly, and you're correct." Cory told her. "That's all I had to say?" Maya asked./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3e5d64ef7e3096ec9aeeada44854827d""What was the name of his boat?" Cory asked. "The Beatles." Maya replied. I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Isn't that the band?" I asked. "The beagle. It's a tiny difference, but an important one." Cory said, ignoring my comment, "Because if you know it, Maya, you don't fail." "I want to not fail." Maya told us./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="e14c5edd984921886dc6a2ef413d7ecc""What kind of birds did he study?" Cory asked. "I don't know." Maya said, shrugging. "You do." I told her. "Finches." Maya answered. "And what else?" I asked. "Finches and mockingbirds." Maya replied. "Yes." I told her. "How did you two know she knew?" Cory asked. "We know she listens to you." Riley answered. "I listen to you." Maya said. "Then you won't fail. And then neither will I." Cory said./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a1a35bc963296007032276766d2f9ae8"Topanga walked in. "How about some Turkey sandwiches?" Topanga asked. "Darwin didn't study turkeys. He studied finches and mockingbirds. His boat was the beagle." Maya said. "And for extra credit?" Cory asked. "Galapagos. The islands he studied were the Galapagos." Maya answered. "Because she listens to me." Cory told Topanga./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1a0e8499c581e4af54342ff4bb792289""Hey, Maya. Watch this." Cory said. He took a red pen and changed Maya's F into an A. "You're giving me an 'A'?" Maya asked in disbelief. "No, I'm giving you a 'C+'. But I want you to see how easily an "F" can become an "A. Nothing to be ashamed of anymore, Maya." Cory told her. I gently smiled./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2b452bd54e3fe8ef8c19b60c157a9c5c""My dad doesn't live with-" Maya started. I grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "It's okay." I told her. "He's got this new family." Maya said. "Maya, you don't have to-" Topanga started. "I do have to. I have to be able to talk to you." Maya said, cutting her off, "If you give me an "F," if you decide I'm not worth working on-" "Maya, take a look around you." I told her, cutting her off. "We're all here for you. Does this look like we think you're not worth working on?" Cory asked. "I just don't want to fail, Mr. Matthews. Thank you." Maya said./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c3bd364be84a4ff05740b97ae601af78""I don't want to go to the dance! The dance doesn't matter to me at all! I want to go on the cyclone with you more than anything in the world!" Riley shouted. "You're going to the dance." Cory told her. "Hooray!" iley said, dreamily. "I'm going to chaperone." Cory said. "What's that mean?" Riley asked, raising her hand. "Hand." Maya told her. "What's that mean?" Riley asked, lowering her hand. "Grown-up voice." I told her. "Lucas, hello." Riley said. "What's that mean?" Cory asked. I giggled./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="7a069d104047d3895d6127443a952cac"~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="5be2790bec4510194183cf23423ba3b4"I sat on a chair, at the table my friends and I were sitting at. Riley was on the dance floor with Lucas. They were slow-dancing very weirdly. Maya was dancing with Farkle. I already had my dance with Farkle, so. It was Maya's turn. I took out the little diary I had created the other day. I also took out a pencil. I began to write./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c2f2aa72f2a31ca74b35a65348a0586e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Dear Diary,/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="e0b85c6ee8fa52cecfce6bab51542659"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I almost lost my best friend this week. If Maya didn't talk to Mr. Matthews, I would of lost my big sister. Which would mean, I would have to grow up a little. But I'm not ready for that yet. I'm so grateful I still have Maya. If I didn't it would be the end of my world. Of course, I still have Riley. But Maya is my older sister. She is like the other half of me. Without her I wouldn't know who I am./em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f5f17a34e2dffdb984c5f750a6aa1b82"The music stopped playing, so that was when I put my diary away. I looked up and saw Mr. Matthews. "Well, guys, it looks like the night is winding down. We hope you all enjoyed the dance. But before we go, I notice some fathers have arrived to pick up their daughters. I wonder if we might have one last dance." Cory suggested. The whole room was filled with cheer. "A father-daughter dance." Cory said. I looked down at my shoes, as the soft music began to play./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2e851d4b21401c0a5563aa81a47f0624"I looked up again and saw Cory dancing with Maya. I smiled. Cory glanced at me and offered me his other hand. I stood up and took it. I smiled. Riley also joined us. So we spent the rest of the night dancing, before going home./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c88189f8462c7c3dd95286c50dee04c3"~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8af5065997adfb6b33d7e634da7e424f"I opened the front door of the Matthews' apartment. "'Sup, goofballs?" I greeted. "Hey, Riley, 7:00." Maya told her. Riley grabbed her bag and walked out the door with Maya and I following./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="9bfcff313c2abeaad102f6e99c30cb49""Hey, Dyl. You know I love you right?" Maya asked. "I know. I love you too," I told her./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e" /p 


	5. Girl Meets the Truth

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f092105b6c2c426499c6d7e54b30ed27""Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last embrace." Lucas said, as he walked over to the table, where Riley was laying on. I sat in the audience with Maya. We were watching our school's production of the play "Romeo and Juliet"./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="e2a76ed3e92428c60d33d5f913f73835""And, lips, oh, you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas continued, and leaned down to kiss Riley. "Back off!" Farkle shouted, jumping into the scene. I rolled my eyes, and sat back in amusement. "What meanest thou? Spear carrier. Who havest no lines." Lucas said, trying to stay in role. "You tried to kiss my woman. This I cannot allow. Prepare to die!" Farkle shouted. "Farkle, what are you doing? It's "Romeo and Juliet." Lucas reminded. "Well, now it's "Romeo and Juliet and Farkle". I play Farkle." Farkle said. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="646db9bf1ba8fe1ba17b2c53c78f96f7""Dude, I'm supposed to kiss the girl. Shakespeare said." Lucas reminded. "Who thinks the spear carrier should finally get to kiss Juliet?" Farkle asked the audience, holding up his spear. Maya stood up and began to cheer. I clapped too. "Yeah, you kiss that girl, you crazy spear carrier." Maya said. "Hark! You cometh uppeth here and getteth kissed too." Farkle said. I stood up and clapped and cheered loudly, just like Maya did a few seconds ago. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="83fab26a3bb43b6698b066bf355ba3d9"Everyone else started to clap too. "Thank you, thank you." Maya said, as she layed down beside Riley on the table. "You too! Cometh uppeth here!" Farkle shouted at me. Everyone cheered and applauded. I stood up, off of my seat. I started to walk to the table where Maya and Riley were sitting. "You're too kind, seriously." I told people, as I walked to the table. I lied down beside Maya./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8df9f36b1a639c2fd36dc9efea1c96fb""How you doing?" Maya and I asked Riley. "I just don't understand how we end up in situations like this." Riley told us. I giggled, as the weird play continued. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c88189f8462c7c3dd95286c50dee04c3"~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ab9530fb0621b1df48d15a348d6310fa"I walked into the school hallway when the play ended, and I was greeted by applause. I was a little taken back, but accepted it. I stood next to Maya and Riley and watched as Farkle entered. Everyone went silent. Riley started to clap, so the whole hallway slowly began to clap. I didn't want to, but. I did it to be nice. "Thank you. Thank you, Farkle nation!" Farkle shouted. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a58a44bd115eb00d21ac8d3bbb16022b""Farkle, come here." Maya said. "Maya, don't." Riley warned. "Okay. I will," I said, "Farkle." I stepped closer to Farkle, but Riley held me back. "Dylan. No. He thinks he was good." Riley defended. Maya and I shared a knowing look. We turned back to Riley. "Yeah, we're gonna fix that." Maya and I said in unison. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="a9a1f5e3ee4cd769c5fabd38b8d61fef""But you two can't tell him the truth." Riley said, "You'll crush him." "Oh, we can tell him the truth. It's em style="box-sizing: border-box;"you/em who can't tell him the truth because you're afraid." Maya pointed out. I nodded. "I'm not afraid. I'm nice." Riley corrected. I raised my eyebrow. "You're saying we're not nice?" I asked. "No, I'm afraid to say that." Riley said. "Tell him the truth." Maya ordered. "Yeah. You know Farkle. You know what will happen if you don't." I added./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="0665bbfb944e52a4652e051c8e72c0fa""Farkle. You were so what are the best words?" Riley asked, as we walked up to Farkle. I sent Riley a "seriously" look. "He killed the play. Those are the words." I said, to Riley. "Those are the only words. You killed the play." Maya told Farkle, and then turned back to Riley. "Tell him." "What? What do they mean?" Farkle asked Riley. "They means you killed it, Farkle. Killed it! Showbiz talk." Riley lied. I rolled my eyes./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="4f15929c54a6f4539b1b0e8b1f377aa2""I actually I thought I ruined the play. If you would've told me I ruined the play, I would have believed you. I would have been crushed, but I would've believed you." Farkle told Riley. I leaned closer to Maya."This is just so amusing," I whispered to my sis. Maya nodded. Riley sighed. "How could I crush one of the best actors working in middle school today?" She asked Farkle. "I'm a good actor? What if I'm better than good? What if I'm great? What if I'm the greatest actor who ever lived, and I never knew it? That would be sad. Wah. It's okay, it's okay. I was acting." Farkle said, "Thanks, Riley, my public awaits. Hello, everybody!" He walked away. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="87e48289177bdf1fd961750b04b36cb9"Maya and I turned to Riley. "You can't lie to him, Riley." I told her. "You're gonna break our little Farkle." Maya added. I nodded. "Oh, I will not. I didn't do anything. This will all go away." Riley said. Some jazz music began to play. Farkle appeared with a top hat and a cane. He began to do a tap routine. "And I think..." Maya began. "You broke him." I finished./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2619895a8b01a127d2edcd474556d25a"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="15dda766ffcbe7e4d5406a4e5d305a23"I sat in history class the next day. I was playing with a charm bracelet I got. "Nice locket, Maya. And what a beautiful charm bracelet, Dylan." Riley complimented. "You likey?" Maya and I asked. "If history's about discovering the truth of what happened in the past, we spend some time finding out what truth is." Mr. Matthews said, continuing his lesson./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="888daf5750ed65bf998dc5c52cae5f04""Where'd you get the nice locket and beautiful charm bracelet?" Riley asked. "Shh, I come here to learn." I said. Maya, Riley, and I bursted out laughing. "All through history, people have suffered consequences for telling the truth." Cory continued. "Is that real gold and real silver?" Riley asked. "Don't know." I replied, staring at the bracelet. "Doesn't matter." Maya answered./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="38c03c944fa6ce74e3f1795c218e5f8a""They all suffered dearly for having the courage to tell the truth." Cory continued. "So sometimes it's better not to?" Riley asked. "But aren't there consequences for that too, sir?" Lucas asked. "Yes, there are, Mr. Friar. But in my experience with the universe, no matter what you do, the truth always finds a way of coming out." Cory answered. The bell ringed, and the room was filled with the chatter of the students./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8967dad35ef5021d288c25921a1ae3b5""So where'd you get the locket and the charm bracelet?" Riley asked, when we were the only ones left in the room. "France." I answered, simply. "You two were in France?" Riley questioned. "Si, senor." Maya replied in Spanish. "You two didn't go to France because if you went to France, you guys would have brought me back a croissant." Riley said. "Bing." Maya said, as I held up a croissant. "Ooh. Piping hot." Riley said, taking a bite out of the bread type thing. Maya and I stood up and we walked to the door. "Wait a minute. Where did you guys really get this?" I asked. "Should we tell her?" I asked Maya. "We found it on the street." Maya said, smirking and walked out of the room. "Bleah!" Riley said, spitting out the food. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ed790e134796eb704dd092dde146a792"~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2250083415f876f32c1a2545bfd800e8""Come on, where'd you get the locket and the bracelet?" Riley asked, coming out of the room. "My father sent it to me." Maya answered. "And I got the bracelet from The Foster System I was in. They sent it to me, hoping I am enjoying my forever family," I replied. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="eea461c2bfed065d042fbb1fe78a9d5f""They did?" Riley questioned. "You don't believe us?" Maya asked. "Did you just tell me?" Riley asked. "We just told you." I answered. "Then I believe you guys." Riley answered. "So this is over?" I asked. "Like it never happened." Riley said, "I do, however, have one question for the locket and the bracelet." Riley grabbed Maya's locket, and she took my hand, which the bracelet was on. "Where'd you get the Maya?! And you. Where'd you get the Dylan?!" Riley asked the jewelry. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="949cbb7adeac7b9d8a1459f2abe748c9""You don't believe my father sent this to me?" Maya asked. "And you don't believe that The Foster System sent this to me?" I asked. "Why don't you guys just tell me?" Riley asked. "Why don't you just call us liars?" I asked. "Why don't you just tell me the truth?" Riley asked. "Oh, you think that's important?" Maya asked. "I do." Riley replied. "Did you think Farkle was good in the play?" I asked. Farkle heard my question and did a melodramatic gasp./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ffd3dd85737bba1a366cacef77f42431"~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="e211e675e52736f962ae2f51cabd08b3""There's a serious pigeon following us." Maya and I said in unison as we crawled into Riley's bedroom through the window. "How you doing? Hey, here's a new thing. Where'd you get the locket and bracelet?" Riley asked. "He's a very sneaky pigeon, but we're onto him." Maya continued. "Because it's gold and that's silver, they're both expensive, and my curiosity gets the better of me." Riley continued with this whole situation. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="0fe1c6d4116b9bf105db737e3ba72e7b""So we ducked behind the tree to fake out the pigeon. And you know who came over?" I asked, "A squirrel." "We didn't say hello though, because we were already in our thing with the pigeon." Maya said. I nodded. "I need to know if you two are stealing things." Riley said. "You don't think my dad sends me stuff?" Maya asked Riles. "And you don't think that The Foster System would send me stuff?" I asked. "Maya, you've cried to me because your dad doesn't send you stuff. And Dylan. You told me The Foster System doesn't send anyone anything." Riley told us. I let out a little sigh and turned to Maya. She looked at me in the same way and nodded./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="78c2cebef098ba8259f1c98c12d4d3f1""Sometimes Dylan and I walk around the village and we pass stores and we look in windows at things we know we'll never have." Maya began. "So one day, we saw this locket and this bracelet sitting in a lost-and-found basket." I continued, "Do you think it's right that somebody loses something so beautiful and never comes back for it?" "Who knows? I don't have a criminal mind." Riley answered, "I don't think like you people." "We walked by the window for months. Nobody claimed the locket, and the charm bracelet okay?" Maya continued. "The jewelry sat there like a kid that has no," I started, but hesitated, "Like an orphan. So Maya and I claimed the two. They are ours now."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2d74f60c91b2e71fd3a2733d54a38a7e""It's not. You two took somethings that doesn't belong to you." Riley told us. "How come you don't tell Farkle the truth, but you have no trouble telling us?" Maya asked. The pigeon that was following Maya and I appeared on the window sill. It warbled. "And you stop judging us." I told the pigeon. It flew out of the window./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f91ce536e93907be6fd1a0749fd4a8a0""Hey, my father tells my mother the truth, even when he knows she's gonna shove a chicken in his face." Riley said, as we sat at the window. I giggled. "Sorry we missed it." Maya and I said in unison. "Yep, I was thinking about you two," Riley told us. "Thanks." Maya told her. I nodded. "'Cause I love you, guys," Riley said. "We love you too." Maya and I said in unison. "Then why do you guys want to end up in the slammer?" Riley asked, going back to the subject. "Here we go." I mumbled. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="87849e6e7cef45945faa55a3a708211c""You two won't do well in the slammer." Riley informed us. My eyes widened and I turned to her with an offended look. "We will so!" Maya and I shouted in sync. "You guys won't pack right. And you will both forget to bring shower shoes and you'll take somebody else's from the lost-and-found. And I think. Both of you are gonna get toe fungus! And I think you guys deserve to get toe fungus because they're not your shower shoes. They're not!" Riley said. I smiled softly. "That's adorable." I admitted. "I think you two are thieves." Riley told us. "That's not." Maya said./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8dd3f8ac340f539d184e838511823196""You think I'm afraid to tell people the truth? I'm not, and I now await the praise from you two." Riley said, holding out her arms for a hug. Maya and I crawled out of the window without saying a word. "Maya? Dylan?" I heard Riley ask, as Maya and I walked to our house. We didn't say a word to each other. Which was sad./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="4fab27d539d2f8fbf69838b5ea300651"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8e22d909b4de64726d1e32dd332786eb"I sat on my bed with a piece of paper, and a pencil in my hands. I tapped the pencil against the pencil. I wanted to write a diary/journal entry. But I didn't know what to write about. An idea popped into my head./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c2f2aa72f2a31ca74b35a65348a0586e"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Dear Diary,/em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="93540bb457da155f8b860c0b13801f9c"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I consider things that have been forgotten, and no one cares about anymore. I consider those things as orphans. Just like me. I am an orphan. Like the charm bracelet, I may or may not have "stole". Or like the locket Maya may or may not have "stole". I am an orphan. And no piece of paper can change that fact./em/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="81f6995dad22c5dcd9b83da8ef7dccec"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c5b00df040744978eaa0bb7b52d62b3b"I walked down the steps of the staircase at school, with Maya. As I walked down the last step, I saw Riley standing by the doorway of our history class. Maya and I walked up to her in a sad manner. Maya handed Riley the textbooks she was holding. "I got something to say to the two you." Riley announced./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="625dc1f50b4cb8b6bb40dbae7a9a5982"Maya plugged her ears. "I can't hear you! Baddada dadaa dadaa!" Maya sang, to avoid Riley's lecture. I just stood there watching. "I'm talking to you." Riley said, trying to get her attention. Maya began to sing words that were just. Nonsense. She sang the weird words, as she entered the girl's bathroom. She exited the bathroom, and continued to sing. "Da da dadaa Whata whata whata, waa waa waa" Maya sang, "And Go." I gave her an amused look and then turned to Riley./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ca70247d36cc7e1a364f08944942014a""Whether or not the two of you are thieves, or not thieves, or you both stole the locket and the charm bracelet, or you two didn't, it doesn't belong to either one of you. It belongs to somebody else. And you have to tell the truth about it because you are upsetting the universe. And the universe is going to have the truth come out anyway." Riley lectured. When she finished, Mr. Matthews walked into his classroom, eating noddles. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="543f4ca4159edd678781fbb961fadae0""And what about you?" I asked, getting a little frustrated with Riley. "When are you gonna tell the truth to Farkle?" Maya asked. "I hardly think the universe is upset with me for being nice to Farkle. I mean, what could possibly go wrong there?" Riley told us. Just as she asked that, Farkle walked down the stairs and to the chess club. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f6bad04ecffff544a80e3c1087fdd792""Hey, chess club, you can move king's knight to bishop six and then you can eat it! 'Cause I quit the chess club 'cause I'm an actor, 'cause Riley said so." Farkle told the club. Maya and I turned back to Riley. "'Cause Riley said so." We said in sync. "Hey, chemistry club, you know what you get when you put sodium and chlorine together? You're a bunch of losers!" Farkle shouted at the club. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="7ee7acf225f8fec8329646fd0c124581""Farkle!" Riley shouted, as we walked up to him. "Riley. You changed my life. The Farkle you knew is gone. I am now Farkle!" Farkle said, dramatically. He walked away. "Whata whata what. What could possibly go wrong? Whata whata what could possibly go wrong?" Maya sang, as we all walked up the stairs. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="7a069d104047d3895d6127443a952cac"~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="489e26db895fd4565372c47c61e7429d""Hey." Maya and I greeted, Mr. Matthews and Riley as we crawled in through the window. "Well, now they're back. Maybe it's not as upside down as you think." Mr. Matthews told Riley and turned to us, "It's a nice locket, Maya. And a beautiful charm bracelet, Dylan." "Thanks, Mr. Matthews." Maya and I thanked in sync. "It looks like someone else's expensive gold locket and silver bracelet," Riley pointed out. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="4b7e1105f69efde606e6cdd80e08ecaf""Maybe it is. But, you know, I don't think that matters to Maya at all." Mr. Matthews said. I gave him a confused look. "You don't?" Maya, Riley, and I asked. "You know, it's an interesting thing about lockets. It's usually what's in the inside that matters most to people. Isn't that right, Maya?" Mr. Matthews said. He stood up and walked to the door. He opened it. And revealed Topanga. "Yeah, okay." Cory said, closing the door. "Please don't tell anyone this is how I live in my own house." Cory said. He then crawled out of the window. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ab69ef6716b5e8097e34eeb75de75e39""What's inside the locket, Maya, that's so important to you?" Riley asked. I nodded. "Yeah. Maya. What's so important that you couldn't tell me?" I asked. Maya glanced at me, and then opened the locket. Inside the locket was a picture of a family. A father, a mother, and two little girls. I noticed one of them was wearing the charm bracelet. Guilt instantly struck me. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2445d7259831df80de4216c43e59efee""Who is this family?" Riley asked. "I don't know." Maya answered, and sighed deeply, "A father, a mother and two little girls. I just like that they're all together. I'm keeping it." Maya said, closing the door. "Oh, boy." Riley said./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8ccfd3486662cc0711cd458dfe3dadd6"Mr. Matthews crawled back in through the window. "She's at the front door too. It's like there's two of her." He said, walking to the front door. There stood Topanga with a chicken? on a fork. She was mimicking a motor. Cory screamed, and slammed the door. He ran and sat in between Riley and me. "So what do we do now? Just sit here or what?" He asked. I shrugged. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="2c2f0ff285dac81cde362f191df19c3d""Hey, dad. Can you tell me why I kind of think trying to help Farkle may have been wrong and maybe Maya should keep the locket and Dylan should keep the locket?" Riley asked. "We should?" Maya and I asked in unison. "Maybe. Is it me that's upside down?" Riley asked. "You know what, girls? The universe is the most confusing place you'll ever live. But if you listen carefully, you'll find out that it's paying attention and that it cares about you." Cory explained. "Is that the truth?" Riley asked. "It's the only one I'm still sure of." Cory reassured. The bedroom door opened, revealing Auggie. He walked in with a plate of spaghetti./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="9823b3e992cf9736cb20d24f590b8c72""Hey, Auggie, is that for me, buddy?" Cory asked. "I made it for you." Auggie said. I gently smiled. "Oh, Auggie, thank you so much. Thank you. Look at this, ooh. This looks good." Cory said, eating some of it, "It's it's cold s'ghetti." "I know it's better warmer, but I don't know how to do that." Auggie admitted. "Auggie, I appreciate that you did anything for me at all." Cory said. "You said that very nice. Why didn't you say it that way to mom?" Auggie asked. "What?" Mr. Matthews asked, "But all I did was tell mom the truth." "Then why do you get cold s'ghetti?" Auggie asked. I stared at him in shock. "Whoa." Riley, Maya, and I said in unison. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="911808b65337e50cfa26ef0fe58f9d66""Woah. Auggie, are you saying the truth doesn't matter as much as how you treat people?" Mr. Matthews asked. "Auggie, are you saying that the truth does matter, but you should tell it to people warmly?" Riley asked. "Auggie, are you saying that the universe pays attention to me and Dylan?" Maya asked. "Auggie, are you saying that no matter what the universe will be paying attention to you, even if you don't know it?" I asked. "Do you people realize that I'm only this many?" Auggie asked, holding up his hand and holding up 5 fingers. Maya gave him a high-five. Auggie rolled his eyes and walked away./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3659337a5a22af927d719fc782b0ca74"~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="effc162f19f945abcc74942186480abb""Farkle, I need to talk to you. I've been looking all over for you." Riley said, as she, Maya and I entered the theater room of the school. I don't know what it is called. "Farkle?" I asked when he didn't answer Riley./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c30cfd42474b6a77c7f8c6e2ae6ffb1c""Farkle's gone. He gave up the chess club. He gave up the chemistry club." Farkle said, all gloomy. "What happened?" Riley asked. "You happened. You told me I was good. Well, I just auditioned for the next play." Farkle answered. "Are you gonna be in the next play?" I asked. "I'm not even allowed to watch the next play." Farkle replied. "I'm sorry you stink." Maya and I said in unison. "I'm sorry I could never hurt you." Riley apologized. "I'm sorry you stink." Maya and I repeated. "I heard you!" Farkle shouted all frustrated. "Well, it was very important." Maya defended. I nodded./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="0d9c4eca7a467911b7bb9c5b3bee63db"Farkle sighed. "You made me think I was this great actor. You filled me up with confidence that I was really special. You made me think I could go after something totally unrealistic." Farkle told Riley. "Farkle-" Riley began. "Thank you." Farkle said. He then kissed Riley. My mouth hung open at the sight in front of me. Farkle pulled away and walked away. Riley stood there with her eyes closed./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="88f7d9505201b42022a8e053428cb618""Well... That happened." Maya said. "Is it over?" Riley asked. "Can we talk about this?" I asked. "No." Riley answered, simply. "Because that was your first kiss and it was with Farkle." Maya said. I nodded. "He missed." Riley pointed out. "Still counts." I said. "Now for the rest of your life when people ask you, "hey, Riley, who was your first kiss?" You're gonna have to say," Maya started. "Eyes, look your last." Lucas said appearing out of nowhere. "Oh, yeah!" Riley said, jumping onto the table Arms, take your last embrace./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="cb08b377b8cc22e0fcc9d5ad890b049a""And, lips, oh, you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas said. "Hi." Riley greeted. "Hi." Lucas greeted. "How long you been here?" Riley asked. "Yeah, I saw the whole thing. I just can't believe that little guy stole my moment. Again." Lucas admitted. "You thought that was your moment?" Riley asked. "No." Lucas said. "Oh." Riley mumbled. "My moment will be em style="box-sizing: border-box;"my/em moment." Lucas told her, and walked away./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="40b27c7472dd8978a4009bceb7807a21"Riley sighed and started to giggle as Maya and I lied next to her. "How you doing?" Maya and I asked in unison. "I like that we end up in situations like this." Riley admitted./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="623787a26bfc57195ca8355e7d51160e"~~~~~~~~~~/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="adbe4071c5580cc4ffc74b94d6ca3f73""You're doing the right thing, returning the locket and bracelet to the store." Riley told Maya and I as we walked into the subway station. "I guess so." Maya and I mumbled. "Maya, I know how much you want a locket with a family inside it." I told her, rubbing her shoulder. "You want the truth?" Maya asked. "Yes, please." Riley replied. I nodded./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d5e03b6d6e254b6fc954bdf28986712c""My father hasn't sent me anything in a long time. And the universe is probably much too busy to notice whether or not I'm doing the right thing." Maya said. "Wow," I mumbled. "Hey, Dyl. Why is the charm bracelet so important to you?" Riley asked./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1a5bc91bd2eb13494689424853818856"I sighed and looked at the bracelet. I held up a heart shaped charm. "You see this charm. Well on the back of it, there is a little message," I said. I turned the charm around. "It says: Family forever. It makes me feel safe for some reason. Like. I am actually part of a family." I admitted. "Dylan. You are a part of a family," Maya and Riley told me. I gave them a small smile. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c73a344a79b409668f226fd168f6b3d5"Riley gestured to something behind Maya and I. We turned around and saw the family that was in the picture in the locket. Maya and I walked up to them. "Hi. I think these belong to you." Maya said, as she and I held up the jewelry. /p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="61ff98c3ba632c1f91345ac86b5570cf""Oh my gosh. I've been looking all over for those. Thank you." The lady said. I nodded. Maya and I took off the jewelry and put it on the little girls. "Thank you." They both said in unison. "Never lose these." Maya told them. "These are special." I added. Maya and I stood up, and linked arms with Riley./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; font-size: 18px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b54ec33d5b415e2bfcc69509ad5c93c7""A cool universe, huh?" Riley asked. I smiled and the three of us walked away all happily./p 


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